Alongside the saddle and handlebars, pedals are the third bike-body contact point, so getting them right can make all the difference to your comfort and performance on the road. The best road bike pedals needn't be the most lightweight and expensive model available, it's just important to be resting a significant portion of your body weight on a good quality, high-performing pair.
We've already covered the best flat road bike pedals , designed for those looking for commuting convenience, but for dedicated road rides, clipping into your pedals not only makes for a stable connection for laying down watts, but they also hold your feet in the correct position, help you maintain efficiency as your cadence increases, and can even reduce the potential for injury. There are many clipless pedal options out there, but the most popular systems come from France, Japan and the USA.
We've group tested the big three's top-tier offering in a Shimano vs Look vs Wahoo Speedplay pedals head-to-head to add more context to this debate, as well as discuss the pros and cons of each pedal setup. But before you make your decision, we've compiled everything you need to know, including exactly what a clipless pedal is, in an overview that outlines all the key attributes to look out for when buying a pair, and we give you a roundup of our favourites.
On their own, the Dura-Ace pedals aren't the lightest around at g a pair Wahoo's Speedplay Nano are an impressive g , however, once you factor in the cleat too, Shimano's top tier pedals become a real eyecatcher for weight weenies at g combined, while Wahoo tumbles down the table with a combined heft of g.
But it's not all about the weight. Based around a moulded composite body, the old screw on stainless steel plate is replaced with three smaller plates which are bonded on as with Ultegra. The Dura-Ace pedals also get an extra needle bearing to provide better support and long term durability. This also results in a super smooth bearing and an improved balance, which means they always hang the correct way up, making the Dura-Ace pedals consistently easy to clip into.
It is worth mentioning that the top end Shimano pedals come with the brand's blue cleats as standard, which only offer two degrees of float instead of six.
Dura-Ace also gets an extended warranty of three years, opposed to two years on other Shimano goods. Ultegra serves as the privateer racer product range in Shimano's lineup for its performance to price ratio, and the R road bike pedals are no exception. They borrow heavily from the Dura-Ace pedals and feature a wide carbon composite body for a stable and supportive pedalling platform.
With a stack height of 10mm, they are 0. Tipping the scales 37g lighter than the version, the R pedals are supplied with the six-degree-float yellow cleats and standard mounting hardware. They spin on a stainless steel axle and two bearings which don't require a break-in period and always settle with the spring down for easy clip-ins. The Wahoo Speedplay pedal has one of the most recognisable silhouettes in the world, with its lollipop-shaped double-sided clip-in design and incredibly comprehensive cleat adjustability.
At just g for the pair, the Nano pedals are ridiculously lightweight, so it's no wonder it's garnered a cult following among weight-weenies, competitive amateurs, and WorldTour professionals alike.
However, it is worth noting that while the pedals themselves are feather-light, the cleats add an extra 81g per side. With that extra heft, the Wahoo cleat system does things very differently to Shimano and Look. Not only does the retention system reside within the cleat, it also provides an adjustable amount of float and allows you to move the cleat forwards, backwards, left and right without loosening the whole thing and potentially losing your position.
However, there's no adjustment of the retention itself, so if you want to make getting out of them easier, you'll need to swap to the 'easy' cleats. They come with a huge price tag, and initial set-up takes time, but once you're past those two hurdles, durability has been great, and it's hard to find any fault with the pedal system and how it all works.
Shimano road bike pedals have become some of the most popular on the market for good reason; they are some of the most user-friendly and reliable of the bunch. The silky smooth bearings will spin for ages before they get crunchy, they're easily serviceable when they do, and the retention mechanism on the rear of the body means they always hang right side up. When we are talking in terms of how we spend our hard-earned cash on bike components, for Shimano pedal users, the pedals are the winning ticket because they borrow so much tech from the range-topping Dura-Ace pedals at a fraction of the cost.
Yes, the higher-end models offer a slightly lower stack height, increased ground clearance and an extra set of bearings, but these have little effect on stability, security or durability.
You still get the same wide pedalling platform, stainless steel plates on the top of the pedal body to prevent premature wear and plenty of adjustability through the cleats and release tension. Look pioneered the clipless pedal in , and the Keo Blade is the brand's top-end offering. The French outfit has updated the design over the years, and the Keo Blade uses a carbon leaf spring in place of a traditional spring for cleat retention — opposite to Time's system.
In using a leaf spring, Look can make a pretty light pedal, with the lack of weight at the back, they don't always settle in the right position and can leave you pawing at the pedal when taking off from a stoplight. Unfortunately, the carbon leaf spring design isn't conducive to tension adjustment; however, Look offers multiple versions at differing levels of release tension force.
All About Clipless Pedals Here we'll discuss the differences between standard platform bike pedals and clipless or spd style pedals. What Are Clipless Pedals? Why Use Cycling Shoes? Go Shoe Shopping. Shimano IC5 Women's Shoes.
Fizik Transiro Infinito R1 Knit. Shimano CT5 Shoes. Bontrager Evoke Mountain Bike Shoe. Pearl Izumi X-Alp Canyon. Pearl Izumi Pro Air. View More A great example of a platform style pedal.
What Are Platform Pedals? Go Pedal Shopping. Fyxation Mesa MP Pedals. DMR Vault Pedals. Sunlite Non-Slip Pedals. Crank Brothers Mallet E Pedals. Origin8 Ultim8 Slimline Platform. Spank Spoon DC Pedals. Odyssey Grandstand Aluminum Pedals.
Clips and Straps Versus Clipless If you're cycling short distances and casually, basic rubber pedals work fine. Two Types - SPD vs. Dimension Synthetic Leather Toe Straps. Sunlite Leather Toe Straps. Dimension Basic Toe Clips. Sunlite Pedal Extenders. This feature is like a buffer that helps prevent knee problems. Buying Tips Save your bucks. You don't have to buy a company's most-expensive models to get good clipless pedals. What that extra cash buys you is lighter weight, a little more durability and sometimes added adjustability.
If you don't need these extras, save your loot and go with a budget model. You'll still get excellent pedal power. Be a copycat. If you haven't a clue what pedal system to buy and don't want to shop around, take the easy way out and simply ask ride partners what they ride and then follow suit.
If they ride the local roads and trails the way you do, the chances are good their pedals will work for you, too. Know your needs. Before shopping for pedals, figure out what you need in a pedal and shoe system. Will you walk in the shoes a lot?
Do you ride trails, road, both? Are weight and high function important? The better you can define what you want, the easier it'll be for us to help you into the right system. Buy a system. If you're just getting set up, the way to go is purchasing a pedal and shoe system; in other words shoes and pedals made for each other.
Then clip back in as if you are at a stoplight that turns green. Do it over and over until it feels second nature. Another trick that we like is to set your bike up on a trainer , if you have one. Get a few good spin workouts in with the new pedals, and make sure you are clipping and unclipping with the same urgency you would have on a road ride.
This type of practice as the added benefit of allowing you to break in the new shoes in a controlled environment. Finally, know that everything is adjustable. If the shoes seem to unclip from the pedal too easily, you can adjust the springs to make it all tighter.
Just have the right set of tools nearby at the outset, and plan on adjusting several times during your first few rides or miles. Bolts: The number of contact points screws that a cleat has with the bike shoe. This is important to know for cleat-to-shoe compatibility. SPD has 2, Look has 3, Speedplay has 4. Cleat: The critical piece of metal that a bolts on to you shoe and b clips in to the pedal, creating a point-of-contact.
Clip-In: The process of attaching your shoe to the bike pedal via a clip. Once you become good at it, it is second-nature. They need to be compatible. Egg Beaters: A type of clip made by Crank Brothers that is popular with some mountain bikers. They get their name because they look like a mixing blade that you would find in the kitchen.
They tend to be strong and light, but not popular with road or tri cyclists. Float: The amount of side-to-side swivel that you can expect from a cleat.
Some cleats lock your foot in with zero float. Others offer up to 20 degrees of float. Many riders prefer a float of around 6 degrees, 3 degrees either way. Having some float is believed to be easier on your knees. Too much float causes you to lose power. Platform : The flat area on the pedal where the forward half of your shoe rests. A wider platform is more comfortable and captures more power. Recessed: A cleat that recesses into the shoe when walking.
In particular, many SPDs have recessed cleats, which are a benefit when you want to talk into a store or simply around your garage without the inconvenience of a protruding cleat.
At first, start with lower pressure, allowing your foot to come unclipped more easily. Stack Height: The distance from the top tube of the bike to the bottom bracket near the chainring.
Thinner is generally better, and ideally your shoe has a minimal impact on this height. Stiffness: When it comes to bike shoes, it refers to the stiffness of the sole. More stiffness is good, because that means your legs are transferring more power directly to the pedal, instead of losing power as it leaks out from flimsy shoes.
Tension : Refers to the level of pressure required to release the shoe and cleat from the pedal. A good system has adjustable tension so you can set it to your preferred level. Most riders want just enough tension so the cleat will not accidentally release while cycling, but not so much that it is difficult to release at a quick stop.
Thanks good writeup. Excellent article! I saved it and have read it a few times and feel I have a very good understanding now. All the info I needed in one place. Thanks, good explanation. I tried using my husbands old SpeedPlay system with disastrous results. Not a good fit for a beginner. Getting some pain in the metatarsal area. Any guidance?
I have delta clips for my road bike, but am starting to spin at the local gym which uses the SPDs. The difference between careless and dangerous is unfortunately defined as the difference between below the standard of a reasonably careful driver Such a cool looking bike.
But why have they made the forks to look the wrong way round? If you go to this website's buyers guide you can compare the lights mentioned in this article to see which one is the best, and the best one for It will have written the video data to the SD card, but it's likely the file will be corrupt The Feedback stand is a beautifully engineered piece of equipment that I don't use enough Log In Register.
Support road. Help us to make it better. Back to Buyer's Guide. Find out which is best with our expert guide. First Published May 15, Continue Reading. About road. Clipless Pedal. Cycling shoes. Mat Brett. Latest Comments Chris Hayes 1 sec ago. IanMSpencer 19 min 26 sec ago.
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